“Mad Men”: Ep. 7. The Emperor’s New Painting

(Here are my thoughts on this week’s “Mad Men.” Lemme know what you think by using the Comment button below.)

It was a tough week in the Draper household. Betty is forced to face a reality she’s struggled mightily to ignore while Don continues having difficulty compartmentalizing his life. His womanizing, increasingly out of control, is making things messy — both figuratively, in what it’s doing to his marriage, and literally, as Betty vomits all over his brand-new car.

(It was, I we must say, the best spewing scene since Adriana lost her lunch when the Fibbies made her an offer she couldn’t refuse.)

COURTESY

Don and Betty looking none-too-happy before ther big night out

In both cases, Jimmy Barrett was the one lobbing the bombs that threaten their marriage — which can, as during that short-lived yet idyllic picnic, seem stable and loving. Unlike Bets, Jimmy can handle the truth. As he said, Don’s not the first man to have Bobbie. We also saw beneath Jimmy’s tough-guy schtick: He was the kid in school who was constantly belittled and bullied by the Don Drapers of the world. And now he’s getting his revenge. Why else would he call Betty at home and personally invited them to his party?

The ad stuff was spot-on. Young people aren’t drinking coffee? Give them “more than a jingle,” give them a song. And as the ad team tackles the Pampers problem, we witness the birth of America’s throw-away society (followed by Don chucking an empty beer can into the trees post-picnic).

Not-so-plain Jane and Queen Bee Joan continue their office catfight. The only thing missing is the David Attenborough narration. Gotta give it to Jane, though, she may be young but she’s got sharp claws. She knows that Roger — who hasn’t made his interest in her a secret — will step in when she stops in to say goodbye. And she knows she can cut Joan by lying about what Roger said about her.

I enjoyed watching Sal all a-quiver over his new man-crush Ken during dinner. It reminded me of the way Peggy’s family dithered over Father Gill in ep. 4. Perhaps it’s because both men hold the promise of deliverance.

But did we know that Sal and Kitty were married? This marriage has disaster written all over it, although I did find Sal’s reaction when he realized he’d hurt Kitty’s feelings (“Some people think I’m very interesting”) so very sweet.

Good to see so much of Robert Morse as Bertram Cooper. We now know his whole Japanese thing is purely an “aspirational” act. Sure, he likes that others appreciate his newly purchased Mark Rothko, but the only appreciation he’s interested in is the painting’s investment value.

The signs for the Newark, NJ store was still intact in 2007

The real world of Matthew Weiner

S. Klein, On The Square, where Jane bought the sweater that so caught Roger’s eye, was a popular priced NYC department store chain (hence, her comment that Roger’s daughter would never shop there). The last of the chain’s stores closed in 1978.

Best lines:

Roger (to Jane): “I could see someone wanting to reprimand you seriously, but firing? That’s a little permanent.”

Jimmy (pouring Betty a drink): “The drunker you are, the funnier I become. ABC did research.

Bertram Cooper: “Mr. Crane, focus. We didn’t make you head of television to shorten your attention span.

Cigarette count

Episode: 11

Cumulative: 112

Music, music, music

The end credit music was “Break it to Me Gently” by Brenda Lee. The lyrics, of course, are telling: